Leafy loose lettuce doesn't ship well (if at all), so if you're not living reasonably close to the farm, you're not going to get it. read more
Leafy loose lettuce doesn’t ship well (if at all), so if you’re not living reasonably close to the farm, you’re not going to get it. A similar thing applies to meat - without refrigeration (or, as they now call it, the “cold chain”) if you don’t live near where the animals are, you’re going to get preserved meat in some form (smoked, salted, sausage, canned, etc.). read more
Iceberg lettuce is an interesting case of a crop developed specifically to be transported in refrigerated rail cars that became available in the late 19th century. Before that, lettuce was leafy and loose (Thomas Jefferson grew dozens of varieties at Monticello, and ate it cooked, like collard greens, etc.). read more